Gasoline gauge



Mar. 3. 1925.

, 1,528,163 A E. NAIRNE GASOLINE GAUGE Filed June 9, 1922 willig/fly lil Patented Mar. 3, 1925'. j

UNITED STATES ELDRIDGE NAIRNE, OF

,PATENT OFFICE.

ROXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNR TO DAVID FINKLE- STEIN, OF B OSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

eAsoLrNE GAUGE.

Application filed June 9,

To all whom t may concern: A

Be it known that l, ELDRIDGENAIRNE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roxbury, in the county-of Suolk andState of Massachusetts, have invented newv and useful Improvements in Gasoline Gauges, of which'the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a gasolinegauge. The object ofthe present invention is to improve the construction of gasoline gauges and to enable the same to be manufactured in an inexpensive, practical anddurable manner with the parts arranged so that thel inclination and momentum of a motorY vehicle, during the running of the same, will not affect accuracy of the gauge.

further object of the invention is to provide a gasoline gauge ofthis character adapted to be readily applied to the dash or instrument board of an automobile .or Iother vehicle and equipped with a graduated scale and movable pointer or hand whereby a clear reading of the gauge will be afforded at all times.

With these and other objects in `Vview the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed outV in the claims heretoappended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of con-` struction, within the ,scope of the claim, may be resorted to without. departin'gfrom the spirit orsacricing anyrof the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, in which like characters:

of reference designate corresponding parts in the several views ii Y Figure 1 is a front elevation of a gasoline gauge constructed in accordancegwith -this invention. n Y Figure 2 is a plan view of thesame. Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on 'the line 3 3 of Figure 1. f Y

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line 4 4 of 4Figure 2, showing the arrangement of the float when the gasoline of a tank is'at its lowest level.

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the body, the U-shaped tube being removed. In the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of they invention, the gasoline gauge, y'which is designed for general use for. indicating the 1922. Serial No. 567,116.

andA 3 for the reception of thelegs 4 and 5l o1 a' U-shaped tubeG. The U-shaped tube 6, which is composed of the legs and a connecting portion, is designed to contain a liquid body 7 of mercury or other` suitable substance and the upper ends of the legs 4 and 5 are secured in the openings 2 and p 3 of the body. The body is split at 8 at one side of the openings 3 and is providedthere- .at with spaced projecting'lugs 9, which are connected bya screw 10 threaded into one of the lugs and adapted to'draw the split portion of the body together to cause the 'body to'clamp kthe leg 5 of the U-shaped tube. The split portion of the body and the lugs constitute clamping jaws and the clamp vformed by the same and the screw enables the U,-shapedtube to. be easily and quickly applied to the body. l

The body maybe `placed in either ka vertical or inclined position to suit the position transversely with vr'espect'to the vehicle so that the vlegsofthe tube vare arranged in ytransverse alignment whereby the momentum Vof the vehiclewill'not affect the mercury within the Ufshaped tube, as it will act equally on` the mercurycontained in both ofthe legs of the tube.

The leg 5 of the U-shaped tube is interiorly threaded at its vupper en'd for the reception of a valve fitting, preferably consisting of a substantially T-shaped coupling f or member 11 having one of its opposite arms or portions screwed into the upper end of the leg 5 of the U-shaped tube. The oppositely projecting portions of the U-shaped member are arranged in a substantially vertical position and the upwardly projecting arm or portionv is exteriorly threaded at 12 and is provided with an interiorly arranged valve seat 13 with which cooperates a ball -1 14. The eXteriorly threaded portion 12 is adapted to receive an ordinary pump for exhausting the air from a pipe or tube 15, which is connected'with the arm or portion 16 of the T-shaped member4 11. The arm or portion 16 :is exteriorly threaded, .as shoivn, for the connection of the pipe 15 Which extends to the gasoline tank of an automobile or other source of supply and When the air is exhausted from the pipe 15 gasoline from the tank Will be drawn into the supply pipe 15 and into the leg y5 of the U-shaped tube 6 and Will form a continuous column or body ogf liquid extending from the mercury in the leg 5 to the tank.

After the air has been completely exhausted from the leg 5 of the U-shaped tube and from the vacuum or suction pipe or tube 15, there will be a siphon action tending t0 pull the gasoline in the vacuum or siphon tube ,downward and variations in the amount of liquid Within the gasoline tank will affect the mercury Within the U-shaped tube and will cause corresponding variations in the height of the liquid Within the leg 4t, Which variations Willfbe indicated by the mea-ns hereinafter described.

The means for indicating variations in the height of the mercuryl Within the leg l of the U-shaped tube comprises a float 17 of approximately egg shape, which may be of hard 4Rubber or other suitable material and molded or otherwise secured to the lower end of a stem 18 of any suitable metal, pro- .vided at its upper end with an eye 19 arranged on a crank 2O Vof shaft 21. The crank shaft 21 is journaled in suitable bearings of a circular head 22 and a lug 23 of the body and the upper end of the stein 18 0f the itloat is maintained in proper position on the crank bend by means of suitable spacing sleeves 211 pinchedlon the crank bend at opposite sides of the` said stem. The spacing sleeves 24, which are split to enable them to be readily placed on the crank bend, will be firmly held in position on the crank by friction.

The circular head 22 is provided with a central bearing opening 25 for the reception of the front end of the crank shaft 21 and it is equipped with a graduated scale 26 over which moves a pointer 2"?, carried by the crank shaft and actuated by the float 17 which rests upon the mercury in the leg l of the trl-shaped tube 6,V its the mercury' in the leg fl rises and falls, due to the iilling of the tank and the consumption of the gasoline or other liquid fuel, the variations in the amount of liquid fuel in the tank Will be indicated by the pointer 27. The circular head 22 is provided with exterior die cast threads 28, which are engaged by similar interior threads 29 of a removable ring 30,

Yspacedrrelation with the circular head.

i,5es,163

having a front flange 31 and adapted to confine a plate 32 of glass or other transparent material over the indicating means in A slee-ve 33 is arranged Within the ring for supporting the glass or other transparent pla-te 32 in spaced relation with the circular head 22.

The connection between the valve fitting and the U-shaped tube and the suction or vacuum tube ivill be air tight and the valve will be firmly vheld on its seat both by atmospheric pressure and by gravity, so that there will be no liability of the valve being accidentally thrown from its seat. The Weight of the mercury Will be sufficient to n'iaintain the gasoline Within the suction pipe after the air has been exhausted therefrom, so that even should the gasoline be en'- tirely consumed from the tank of a machine the gasoline will not be withdrawn from the suction'pipe which will be in proper condition or filled with gasoline so that the device will function as soon as the tank is re-lilled. 'By constructing the body portion of the device of a casting and a U-shaped metal tube and securing the parts, heretofore explained, with the valve hitting in the upper end of one leg' of the U-shaped tube, the device may be cheaply manufactured and quickly assembled and the transverse disposition of the U-shaped tube will prevent the speed of the vehicle from affecting the levels of the mercury Within the U-shaped tube. Also the position of the machine in ascend` ing and descending grades Will not change the relation of the legs of the tubes to each other and Will not affect the readingof the gauge.

Vilhat is claimed is:

A gasoline gauge including a body provided at the front with a circular head and having spaced openings in the body at the rear of the head, a lug carried by the body and spaced from the head, a U-tube having its legs respectively secured in the openings of the said body and adapted to contain mercury, means for connectingv one of the legs of the tube Vwith a suction or vacuum pipe, a float adapted to operate in the other leg and provided with a stem, a crank shaft connected with the upper end of the stem and supported by the lug and the head and indicating means connected to and operated by the shaft.

ln testimony .vhereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ELDRIDGE NARNE. 

